the one that will be longest remembered is that delivered at Plymouth on August 4, 1917, the third anniversary of the war.  This not only reviewed the common history of the two nations for three hundred years, and suggested a programme for making the bonds tighter yet, but it brought the British public practical assurances as to America’s intentions in the conflict.  Up to that time there had been much vagueness and doubt; no official voice had spoken the clear word for the United States; the British public did not know what to expect from their kinsmen overseas.  But after Page’s Plymouth speech the people of Great Britain looked forward with complete confidence to the cooeperation of the two countries and to the inevitable triumph of this cooeperation.

     To Arthur W. Page

     Knebworth House, Knebworth,
     August 11, 1917.

     Dear Arthur: 

First of all, these three years have made me tired.  I suppose there’s no doubt about that, if there were any scientific way of measuring it.  While of course the strain now is nothing like what it was during the days of neutrality, there’s yet some strain.

I went down to Plymouth to make a speech on the anniversary of the beginning of the war—­went to tell them in the west of England something about relations with the United States and something about what the United States is doing in the war.  It turned out to be a great success.  The Mayor met me at the train; there was a military company, the Star Spangled Banner and real American applause.  All the way through the town the streets were lined with all the inhabitants and more—­apparently millions of ’em.  They made the most of it for five solid days.

On the morning of August 4th the Mayor gave me an official luncheon.  Thence we went to the esplanade facing the sea, where soldiers and sailors were lined up for half a mile.  The American Flag was flung loose, the Star Spangled Banner broke forth from the band, and all the people in that part of the world were there gathered to see the show.  After all this salute the Mayor took me to the stand and he and I made speeches, and the background was a group of dozens of admirals and generals and many smaller fry.  Then I reviewed the troops; then they marched by me and in an hour or two the show was over.

     Then the bowling club—­the same club and the same green as when
     Drake left the game to sail out to meet the Armada.

     Then a solemn service in the big church, where the prayers were
     written and the hymns selected with reference to our part in the
     war.